The Baltimore Orioles never would’ve wanted it to come to this.
But the way things are shaping up, Adley Rutschman might end up being traded.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote Sunday that Rutschman is expected to be the top trade candidate available this winter.
It’d be a shocking twist for a guy the Orioles chose No. 1 overall out of Oregon State in 2019.
The catcher is a two-time All Star, and he looked like a switch-hitting team leader for years to come.
But the Orioles recently called up phenom Samuel Basallo, also a catcher. And they gave him an eight-year contract extension.
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That could be the writing on the wall for Rutschman.
Rutschman was a great player his first two seasons, but he has been in decline over the last two.
Even while making the 2024 All-Star Game, Rutschman slugged just .391 for the season.
His slugging percentage this season is down to .373. He’s batting only .227, with a .684 OPS.
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What looked like it’d be a rising development line for Rutschman has instead totally stagnated.
He’s still regarded highly across the league, which means he’d likely still have solid trade value, although maybe not as high as it would’ve been a couple years ago.
The Orioles just might be looking at a roster crunch and want to retool at a different spot on the field by moving Rutschman.
Any team looking for a catcher will surely be giving a phone call to Baltimore.
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